AFTER a tortuous stage across the north coast yesterday, when the predicted near gale conditions failed to arrive, maxi yacht Bridgestone was again being shadowed closely by rival Sorcery as both boats made their final approach to the Wicklow finish of the Cork Dry Gin Round Ireland Race.
Earliest predictions for the race-leader's arrival back at the starting line were given by skipper Tom Earl as any time from 4.0 am this morning onwards, depending on wind. Although not conceding defeat on beating the course record, he did report that the crew were disappointed that the record appeared to be slipping out of reach.
To beat Rothmans' 1990 time of 84 hours, 56 minutes and six seconds, the first boat home would have had to complete the course by 3.26 am. Weather forecasts yesterday evening suggested that the wind on the Irish Sea would veer westerly and drop to force three or less, giving a reach to the finish, but still with tides to contend with.
In true Round Ireland fashion, the calms of the second day were replaced by near gale force conditions on the stage from the BIaskets north, as numerous yachts reported exhilarating surfing down swells and waves of 30 to 40 feet in height. There were no reports of major damage apart from torn sails and several crews achieved speeds of over 16 knots at times.
The strong south-westerlies brought the slower racing nearer to the fleet leaders, were last to get the new system. So the overall position handicap affected as a result.
Securon IV, a British Sigma 38, had taken the overall race lead on corrected time from Kinsale's Mad Bull, which fell to third at Eagle Island, while Big Ears, from the Royal Irish Yacht Club, moved up to second place.
Retaining second place from Securon off the north Mayo check-in was the Joe English-skippered Mobil 1 from Sligo YC, 90 minutes behind. Third placed was Tom Duggan's Torbellino from the Royal St George YC, while DMYC Challenge had picked up the fleet to fourth place in the tightly-packed front runners in the class.
The all-women crewed Sasha had still to recover from their east coast seaward flyer and were nearly 10 hours behind Securon and about five hours behind the second-last placed Sigma.
Adrian Lee's Janey Mac was leading the Sigma 400 and was crossing the north Donegal coast late last night in 20 knots of winds from the north west.
In class one, Mad Bull still has a lead of just under one hour from Roy Dickson's Beaumont Spirit from Howth YC, while the Gordon Maguire-skippered Silk was third in that class and 11th overall in the fleet on handicap.
